28th Sept 2024
Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “People should learn how to be just there, doing nothing…it’s not so easy to just be. If you can be happy, relaxed & smiling when you are not doing something, you’re quite strong. Doing nothing brings about quality of being, which is very important. So doing nothing is actually something.”
I recently read an article about ‘Niksen’ which is a Dutch word, meaning “doing nothing.”
The article talked about how doing nothing can be good for you.
Ironically, the article touts the idea of doing nothing so that you can be more productive, Which to me would mean you are doing nothing so that you can be better at doing something else. This does fit with the science of how the brain works, and how creativity works.
The real reason for not doing nothing is that many of us have created a “busy habit.”
We’re addicted to doing stuff. We have to prove something to ourselves and the world. I’m not sure what that something is, but it involves striving, being productive, being busy, working hard, playing hard.
Everything has to have a purpose and be connected with a goal. Even our leisure time has to be busy, busy, busy.
Even our “down” time has to be filled with all the ways we are making ourselves better. We need to be learning to play an instrument, getting more exercise, learning a new skill, and so on.
For most people it’s nearly impossible to do nothing these days, because there are so many options available to keep us busy.We have forgotten the Art of doing nothing.
Sure, we all know how to do nothing. We all know how to lay around and waste time. But many of us are too busy to do it much, and when we do it, our minds are often on other things. We cannot relax and enjoy the nothingness.
Doing nothing is increasingly being framed as a positive, stress-fighting tactic.
Doing nothing is easy.
Sit down somewhere and don’t do anything.
Don’t bring your phone, or a book, or someone to talk to, or a podcast to listen to.
Don’t try and take a nap. Just sit and stare or look around you lazily.
You might like it.
Hence, besides the noble art of getting things done, master the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
When we just sit, our imagination ignites and we fire up our creativity.
We learn things about ourselves and engage with our feelings.
This gives us the opportunity to learn, grow and change.
Doing nothing is not boring, it’s essential and the weekend is the best time to Do Nothing.
Do nothing, get inspired this weekend & stay blessed forever.